Man pleads guilty to strangling girlfriend

Thursday

Dec 6, 2012 at 1:00 PMDec 6, 2012 at 8:57 PM

Jamaal F. Dottin said today his anger and alcoholism led him to strangle his girlfriend, Kristi M. LeClair, inside the couple's West Street apartment in 2010. Mr. Dottin, 31, of Worcester was sentenced to 8 to 12 years in prison.

By Scott J. Croteau TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF

Jamaal F. Dottin said today his anger and alcoholism led him to strangle his girlfriend Kristi M. LeClair inside the couple's West Street apartment in 2010.

The 31-year-old Worcester man read a statement in Worcester Superior Court during a hearing at which he pleaded guilty to manslaughter. As he read, he looked toward Ms. LeClair's father and stepmother.

“I loved her. God knows I didn't mean things to go this far,” Mr. Dottin said. “I know I can't take any of this back. All I can ask for is forgiveness.”

Mr. Dottin said his issues with anger and alcohol should have been addressed before the September 2010 killing inside 76 West St., Apt. 1R. He said Ms. LeClair came to his family holiday parties and the two lived homeless together for six months.

“It should never have happened,” Mr. Dottin said.

Mr. Dottin was sentenced to 8 to 12 years in prison after he pleaded guilty to manslaughter. Assistant District Attorney Sarah Richardson and defense lawyer Christopher P. LoConto agreed to the sentence.

Mr. Dottin was indicted in March 2011 on a murder charge. The plea was to a lesser charge of manslaughter.

Before sentencing, Ms. LeClair's father, Michael LeClair, and her stepmother, Elaine LeClair, stood before the court holding an array of family pictures.

“As far as an impact statement, I thought about it and the best one I could come up with was actually pictures of my daughter and our loss from her life being taken,” Michael LeClair said.

Judge Lemire looked at the pictures; many showed the family together.

Mr. Dottin called police around 2:30 a.m. on Sept. 14, 2010, to report that Ms. LeClair was not breathing. She was 24 at the time. Paramedics discovered that Ms. LeClair had been dead several hours prior to the 911 call.

Court records show that Mr. Dottin told investigators that Ms. LeClair begged him to stop choking her in a faint voice. She had been bitten and strangled by Mr. Dottin.

The couple had a tumultuous relationship and each had been charged with attacking one another while they dated.

Mr. Dottin first told investigators that he had gone out the night before and awoke to find Ms. LeClair not breathing. He denied attacking Ms. LeClair.

“However, the police investigation revealed that the two had been drinking and arguing earlier in the evening,” Ms. Richardson said. “Neighbors heard an altercation between Mr. Dottin and Ms. LeClair.”

An autopsy showed Ms. LeClair had died hours before Mr. Dottin called police. She died from homicidal asphyxia, authorities said. Eventually Mr. Dottin told police he choked Ms. LeClair but she was crying and alive after he went to sleep.

Ms. LeClair had “marks on her neck consistent with being strangled, bite marks on both forearms and numerous bruises on her body consistent with being beaten,” court records showed. Her nose ring had been pulled from her nose.